


Worth It For You

by SykoShadowRose



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Background characters - Freeform, Banter, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Drakos Taiyang, Elf Qrow, M/M, Mutual Pining, Past Relationships, Pining, Raven Branwen - Freeform, Ruby Rose - Freeform, Summer Rose - Freeform, Taiyang/Raven, Taiyang/Summer, Yang Xiao Long - Freeform, birthday giftfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:15:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27242548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SykoShadowRose/pseuds/SykoShadowRose
Summary: When both Raven left him with a child to raise, his friends Summer and Qrow stayed behind to help. When Summer is called away to war after gifting the blond with another daughter, Qrow takes up the responsibility of helping raise them both. Tai wishes that he'd been able to have Qrow from the beginning but he was grateful enough for the friendship the elf gave him.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Taiyang Xiao Long
Comments: 12
Kudos: 32





	Worth It For You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Victorious56](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Victorious56/gifts).



> Happy Birthday Vicky!

Qrow kept his head down as he carried the sleeping Ruby through the village, doing his best to ignore the whispers that followed in his wake. The drakos (a species of tall human-dragon hybrids) were not particularly welcoming to him but he stayed regardless of their opinions. There was, after all, one drakos who was happy to have him around and there was very little he wasn’t willing to do to make Taiyang happy. To see the way bright blue sparkled with joy. The village residents could say all they wished about fey elves, it wouldn’t change anything. He knew the truth about him and his people and arguing with the narrow-minded individuals that looked down on him for actions he didn’t commit weren’t worth the trouble. As long as Tai knew him for who he was, he could take whatever they wished to throw at him.

Still, he couldn’t hold back the sigh of relief as he entered their home and escaped the heavy weight of judging eyes.

Gently shuffling the child a bit, he managed to hang his weapons and cloak as well as carefully remove her’s to set on the peg beside his own. Setting his bags down on the table, he went to settle the little drakos in her bed for the rest of her nap. He tucked her in with all the love and care he showed to Yang, determined to show her (even in sleep) that she was no less his family for the blood that lacked between them. Despite the fact that they weren’t related he took just as much responsibility for Ruby as he did for Yang, if not more. Loved her just as fiercely. 

At least when Tai had taken an interest in Raven, Qrow had been able to warn the drakos that she may not stay with him. That it was still possible she’d return to their tribe to take up the role of leader that was intended for her when they were children. Tai had taken it well. He’d listened, understood, but he had decided to try anyways and Qrow would never judge him less for the hope that she may remain in the village. Even back then he’d bitten back on the promise that he would stay. Fought down the desire to court Tai before he tried to woo Raven into his arms. It would have been unfair, he thought, to try to coax the broad male into choosing him when he so obviously wanted one of the females. 

That was why he’d encouraged Summer into approaching the drakos after Raven had vanished from their lives, leaving naught but a daughter and a few scattered feathers. Summer had often expressed an interest in the tall, tanned male, her delicate fingers dancing along the patches of scales on the man’s arms. Silver and blue eyes meeting coyly. Qrow had thought that the two of them would be happy together, that they would be together for centuries to come, raising more children than Qrow would know what to do with. Summer was a good, loving soul that didn’t bear the dark responsibility of leading a wild tribe that Raven did. Qrow had thought he’d be forced to stand back and watch them be happy while he played the part of uncle for their children. 

He had made peace with that fate. 

That was why it hurt so much to come back one day and find Summer gone.

Tai had said very little about Summer leaving and Qrow hadn’t wanted to press the drakos about a subject that was still so raw. So all he knew, even years later, was that she had gotten a summons from the High Fey Elf Court and that she told him she wouldn’t be coming back. Qrow didn’t know much about the High Court, having grown up in a wild tribe, but he knew that anything involving them was serious trouble. He’d heard word from travelers through the village of a Fey War though, and he could make the connection enough to guess what had compelled her away from her new family. 

Still, in his tribe at least, if a child was born and one of the parents abandoned their responsibilities the rest of the family stepped in to take on the job. Summer, and therefore Ruby, were not related to him but they had been close friends, closer than even him and his twin had been, and he still took responsibility for them. Especially since _he’d_ been the one to nudge Tai in Summer’s direction during the awkward early days of their courtship. Back when Summer had questioned if Tai would want her after Raven had broken his heart. Back when Tai had questioned if Summer truly loved him or if he was just a passing interest. He was the one to swear to Tai that Summer wasn’t like Raven, that she wouldn’t just abandon him and their family.

And she hadn’t exactly, so he hadn’t really lied. 

There was no way for her to ignore the summons and Tai understood that. Didn’t mean that it hadn’t hurt the blond when she left. Or that the rest of his village understood and accepted what had happened. They either didn’t know or didn’t care that Summer had been called away by something far greater than she could deny. They only saw another fey elf that bore a child and left Tai with the responsibility of raising it alone. Qrow knew though, understood that she loved Tai, loved Ruby, loved him and Yang too. He knew she would have stayed if she’d had the choice. But she hadn’t. Her duty had taken her from the family she loved.

So Qrow had stepped up for both Raven _and_ Summer. He taught the girls about fey elves and what they could do while Tai taught them about drakos. They had found a nice balance between them on raising the girls and caring for the house, even if Qrow’s chaotic magic sometimes caused accidents. Things were actually good for them, peaceful even, though Qrow avoided going to the village alone unless he had to, such as today when he’d needed to go to the market for supplies to make dinner with. He’d been overcharged as usual when Tai wasn’t with him but he wasn’t planning to make a scene over it. He’d gotten used to it years ago. 

He wasn’t sure why they only treated him that way when Tai wasn’t around though. The village seemed oddly intent on Tai not knowing how they treated him or what they said about him but he wasn’t about to break the silence. Not until he knew _why_ first. Judging him by the actions of two very different females with vastly different reasons for what they had done was hardly sensible or fair but he’d learned long ago that life was absolutely not fair. No reason to think it would change now. As long as the villagers left Yang and Ruby out of their talk, he would have no reason to start trouble.

Qrow brushed back his ebony hair with his fingers, heading back to retrieve his bags and take them into the kitchen to start cooking. Tai and Yang would be home shortly and he’d promised Ruby cookies if she behaved at the market. Thankfully the promise was enough to keep the small child from running off but now he actually had to bake the treats. He never broke a promise he made himself and he wasn’t about to start over cookies. If he started now, they should be cooled enough for the child by the time she woke from her nap.

~*~

Tai sighed as his energetic daughter ran off towards the rope swing Qrow had put up for the girls, blond hair flying about her. The elf was going to have to make another one soon. Yang was getting too big for the one that was there. Thoughts of the fey elf brought a smile to his face as he went inside. The house was filled with amazing scents and he followed his nose to the kitchen.

The sight that greeted him warmed his heart. 

Qrow was standing at the fire-magic stove with tiny Ruby on his hip. The toddler had a cookie in one hand while the other played with the chains and jewels dangling from a delicately pointed ear in fascination. Neither she nor her sister had their mother’s ears, they were rounded like their father’s. One slender hand stirred a pot while the other kept Ruby from slipping while she munched her treat and for just a few moments Tai was able to pretend that Qrow was there with him for more than just friendship. That he’d stayed for more than just tribal duty and familial obligations. That what he felt was returned, requited.

For just a little while he was able to pretend that the beautiful elf was his to keep.

He wasn’t able to hold the illusion for long though, he never could unless he wanted to risk acting on it. Both Summer and Raven had made it clear that Qrow had never shown an interest in a male before when he’d asked them back when he’d first met the elves. Before he’d gotten to know them and decided to try a relationship with Raven. Before Summer had expressed a desire to be with him. Before he’d learned that the quiet male kept to himself more than he probably should while the two women dealt with all the attention given to the elves. While he knew that their word alone didn’t rule out the possibility, he’d never been able to pick out any clues that he meant more to Qrow than just a friend.

Garnet eyes looked over at him, a soft smile forming on the fey’s lips. The shape of his lips was captivating, the way his eyes lightened enrapturing. It was so difficult to keep himself from striding over and taking the slender body into his arms. To hold onto him the way he’d longed to since he’d laid eyes on the delicate male. Instead, to stop himself, he went to the counter to help finish whatever Qrow hadn’t gotten to yet. Stood beside the other and pretended his body wasn’t humming with awareness of just how close they stood to each other. It was practically second nature at this point, though he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not for him.

“Going to need a new swing soon. The one out there’s not going to fit Yang much longer.” Tai took over stirring, nudging Qrow out of the way as Ruby finished off her cookie. The elf passed over the duty, using his newly freed hand to shift the child to his other hip. Her hands immediately went up to play with the ear on that side, the different jewelry he wore.

“And who’s fault is that?” The elf tossed him a meaningful look, eyeing him from head to toe. Lingering more than he should on the broadly built body, the defined muscles with their scattered patches of scales, but by some blessing the drakos had never noticed him looking when he shouldn’t. Which was all the time, really. 

“How is it my fault?” He stopped to look over, wondering at his friend’s thought process. He watched the lithe, ringed hand run through feathery raven hair. Slightly startled pale red orbs jumped up to meet his blue when he turned. Tai figured that the elf just thought him slow for not understanding imedeately as was often the case. The younger man’s mind twisted in ways he didn’t always follow after all. 

“Look at me Tai.” Qrow held out an arm to indicate all of him, his head barely taller than Tai’s shoulder. The drakos swallowed subtly, taking the permission to do what he rarely allowed himself to do. Too much risk of getting caught. But now he was allowed, welcomed even, to take in the length of hidden alabaster legs, the beautiful curve of the shapely behind, the narrow waist that was just the right size for his hands, the slender shoulders that carried more than what they should have to, the gorgeous face that was looking at him expectantly. “You really think she’s gonna be tall from my side of the family?”

Tai’s lips twitched at the question, the way a black brow arched at him. “You’re not that short!” Tai tried to keep a straight face but he couldn’t hold it, laughing at the unimpressed look Qrow leveled at him. He thought of commenting that at least fey elves were taller than most fey creatures, but Qrow was still standing next to a counter full of utensils and he didn’t feel like dodging.

Qrow rolled his eyes fondly, shaking his head to ignore the way Tai’s laugh made his nerves tingle. The elf would gladly listen to the drakos laugh all day but Ruby tugged at his necklace to demand his attention and Yang came barreling into the kitchen to cling to his legs. Between the two of them he was forced to turn the kitchen over to Tai to finish dinner while he took charge of keeping the girls busy and out of the way. 

~*~

Qrow rolled his eyes helplessly, praying for patience as he tried to get the two children to settle down long enough to get _clean_ while they splashed in the tub. He swore to them they could play in the water as much as they wanted _after_ they were scrubbed down. However, they were excitable children and were more interested in splashing each other and, unfortunately, him by proxy. He’d already been forced to peel off the shirt he’d been wearing when it had become soaked through thanks to the girls’ playing. Qrow was still trying to wrangle the two when his ear twitched, honing in on the heavy footsteps coming down the hall. He knew those steps, his heart having memorized the weight of them years ago so he could always hear where the other tread. A small, hopeless smile brushed his lips as the all too familiar step came to a stop behind him.

Tai leaned on the door frame, watching his daughters play in the water, Qrow kneeling next to the tub. The drakos took the chance to study the pale back that was so rarely exposed. Greedy eyes examining every detail that was usually kept hidden from the world, storing the silent secrets in his memories until the next time he was given the chance to witness them again. He understood why, knew the reason Qrow liked to keep his back covered. The crow shaped from graceful vines and unfurled leaves had once been a bright gleaming white, spread wings wide and whole as if it were about to take flight straight from his skin. Now it was black, the leaves withered, feathers falling down his back. The now black crow looked more like it was falling or trying to land with it’s tattered wings.

Tai had been there when the change had happened, though he hadn’t known what was going on at the time as Qrow had tried to keep his back turned away from him while he’d seen to the other’s health. He’d been the one to take care of the elf through the fevered dreams and the pain. He’d cleaned the mess when Qrow had retched on the floor and kept a pail close for the other after. He’d helped the other bathe as much as he’d been allowed and had forced the elf to eat even when he’d claimed he wasn’t hungry for days on end. Finally the worst had seemed to pass and Qrow’s health had begun to slowly but steadily improve. It wasn’t until Qrow had made a full recovery that Tai had brought up the sudden illness to ask about the cause. He’d wanted to know in case there was a possibility of it happening again. That was when Qrow had finally shown him the changed tattoo and explained what it meant so Tai would know it wasn’t going to happen again. 

What Tai had always thought of, and still thought of, as a tattoo was actually closer to a magical brand to show not only which fey elf tribe he came from but where he ranked within it. The large size and elaborate design meant he was from the ruling family of the Branwen Tribe. When he’d refused to return with Raven, he’d been exiled, all ties cut. The Branwen Mark had changed to reflect his status as an outcast. No member of his tribe would ever acknowledge him again and any ally of his tribe was likely to do the same. What had once been a mark of pride was now a stain of shame upon his pale skin. 

Tai had been horrified to learn about it but… when Qrow had explained _why_ , he’d been grateful as well.

Raven had wanted to take Yang when she’d gone back and had expected Qrow to follow with to raise Yang while she led their tribe. When Qrow had refused, even gone so far as to cite laws in their tribe that gave full parental rights to Tai, she’d turned on him. And when Qrow had chosen to stay to help raise Yang, she’d cut all ties and triggered the alteration to his brand. Tai hadn’t understood how she could do that and get away with it when Qrow had been following the tribal laws they’d both been raised by but Qrow had just shaken his head and gone silent. The unspoken pain in his soft eyes had stopped Tai from ever asking again.

Tai may not have ever pressed further than that but he’d noticed, every now and then when Qrow bared his back, hints of gold and silver lining the feathers and the leaves that were starting to look full and vibrant again. The avian looked to be healing slowly, starting to take flight again and be free. The drakos didn’t know enough about fey elf magic to properly understand what the subtle changes slowly taking place meant, but he knew what he _hoped_ it meant. 

Azure eyes finally left the inked back just as a small wave of water washed over the elf. He bit back a laugh at the purely unamused glower Qrow leveled at the two giggling girls. “Not looking close to done there, huh?”

“Hm.” Qrow pushed his dripping bangs back, slender fingers raking through dark locks. Tai tipped his head, wondering what the other was up to. He’d been around Qrow for years, learned his tells, his noises and that particular one meant that the elf was thinking, plotting. The fey gave a mournful sigh, looking so heartbroken Tai would have been convinced if he didn’t know what real heartbreak already looked like on the raven’s face. “No. Nowhere near done. Doesn’t seem like there will be time for stories or lullabies tonight.”

Tai couldn’t keep his laugh back at the way both girls completely froze, looking up at their uncle with identical faces of complete horror. He covered it with a cough as best he could while the two made frantic promises to behave and wash properly for bed. It was an effective “threat” as far as things went. Qrow had been seeing the girls off to sleep for as long as they could remember and even before that. Neither of them wanted to break the family tradition.

Qrow hummed thoughtfully, tossing a conspiring wink at Tai over his shoulder, unknowingly making the blond’s heart skip a few beats as he was pulled into the elf’s scheme. “What do you think?”

“I think,” Tai paused, getting his heart back under control and trying not to grin at his daughters’ desperately hopeful faces, “that if they get scrubbed now and if I can dry and dress while you clean yourself up… Then there may be enough time for one song.”

The two immediately scooted closer to Qrow, looking up at him anxiously while they waited for him to take up the soap and cloth so he could finally clean them. Tai took the time to start cleaning up the mess of water that had been splashed onto the floor, occasionally glancing over as the elf ran the sudsy cloth over their faces, paying special attention to the creases in their scales wherever they peeked through skin. Tai’s heart clenched as he finished up, watching Qrow gently lift Ruby out of the tub and then help Yang climb out. Qrow offered a small, soft smile in thanks as he walked passed to dry off and change in his room. Tai paused as the children darted off to get dressed, one hand pressed to his aching chest before he gathered himself and went to see to his daughters.

The usually rambunctious children were surprisingly docile as Tai helped dry them off the rest of the way and then helped them dress. He supposed he shouldn’t be that surprised though. Both of his daughters absolutely loved when Qrow told them stories, his magic forming in the air to help give the words life. But more than that, they loved to hear him sing. He couldn’t blame them. He did too. Qrow’s voice was soothing to the ear, the soft tones weaving tranquil melodies that quickly sent the kids to sleep. Tai would have suspected Qrow of using spells to make them drop off so quickly but he knew better. 

The gentle cadence of Qrow’s voice was simply that calming.

By the time the elf had entered Yang’s bedroom where both would be sleeping for the night, the two girls were already under the covers waiting for him. A quiet chuckle escaped him as he sat on the edge of the bed. Tai had already tucked them in like the loving father he was, so Qrow brushed back their hair as he began to sing. It was something he loved to do, something he remembered from being a boy back in the tribe. His grandmother, a crazy but fierce and loving woman, would sing him and Raven to sleep. She always made time to tell them stories, though Raven was less interested in them than he was. It warmed his heart to pass on the tradition, to sing the songs of his childhood to the girls and tell them the stories he’d once listened to. But it made him ache as well.

He couldn’t go back to the tribe, couldn’t tell his grandmother of the two beautiful girls that loved her songs and stories. It hurt to know that she was dead to him as he was to her thanks to the exile he now bore. But he thought she’d approve of his decision, his choice to stay and help take care of the little girl that belonged rightfully with her father. He thought she would love Yang, love Ruby, as much as he did. That she’d love them the same as she’d loved him as a child. It was such a shame that they would never know her beyond the stories and songs he shared, the memories he recounted to them. It was even sadder that she wouldn’t even have that much. He doubted Raven would admit the daughter she’d abandoned and Ruby had been born after she left. If there was anything he regretted about leaving his tribe it was losing his grandmother, but what he’d gained was worth it. He just wished she knew.

~*~

Tai approached slowly, taking in the tense set of the narrow shoulders. He’d sent Ruby and Yang up to their rooms to play after the two had run inside to tell him that Qrow’s magic had made a mess again. They hadn’t been scared or upset, more than used to their uncle’s magic going off on it’s own sometimes. Now that he was closer the drakos could see the small crater in his garden and from that he could make a pretty good guess at where the elf’s head was at. He just had to find a way to calm him down before he did something drastic. As he finally reached Qrow’s side, Tai couldn’t help wishing he knew more about fey elf magic or that his kind was better versed in more than just fire and earth magic and such related things.

Unfortunately all he knew came from the three fey elves he’d had in his life and it had been a tragically under-discussed topic looking back. Tai did know that different elves and families usually specialized in different magics but Qrow was one of the rare few gifted with Chaos magic. A kind of magic that was all-encompassing and was vastly more powerful than any kind of individual magic, like Raven’s elemental or Summer’s light, could ever be. The power came at a price though. Chaos magic, unlike the other kinds, was wild and Qrow had once admitted that it felt almost sentient, something neither of the girls had known before then. It hated to be controlled or restrained which meant, sadly, that it tended to be highly unpredictable. That was one of the reasons Qrow used it constantly for small tasks, to keep it from building up and bursting out of him. Because the end result of Chaos was often more damaging than the caster intended if they didn’t keep the pressure off, especially if the magic cast itself without the elf’s conscious input.

Right now, Qrow was probably imagining if he’d accidently hit Yang or Ruby. His head filled with images of them being hurt, or worse, because of him, because of his magic. Tai was certain the elf was thinking that they’d be safer and better off without him. He had to convince the other that he was wrong. The drakos couldn’t take it if Qrow left too. Raven he’d been warned about. Summer, he’d loved but had accepted the duty to her tribe. Qrow had given up everything for their family. Qrow should be the one he was allowed to keep, even if only as a friend and uncle to his daughters. If he left then Tai didn’t know what he’d do. Didn’t know where Qrow would go either when all he had left was right here with him. 

He carefully took the elf by the arm, turning him so that they were face to face, though Qrow was refusing to meet his eyes. Tai moved slowly, carefully, so that the elf could react as he slid one arm to curl around the slender waist, the other cupping the back of a pale neck. He pulled the distraught man close, felt the slight tremble as Qrow fought with himself. It took several long moments before the smaller male slumped against him in defeat, head pressed to his sternum. Tai treasured the surrender that the elf so rarely gave, sheltered him close while Qrow was vulnerable to his own demons. 

“I could have hurt them Tai.” Qrow’s voice quavered, on the verge of breaking. It pained the blond to hear him in such agony, but he needed to listen, to let Qrow speak before he tried to ease the suffering. He knew where Qrow was going but Qrow needed to say it, to let it out where it wouldn’t burn his thoughts anymore. “I could have _killed_ them.”

“You didn’t hurt them Qrow.” Tai rubbed both hands along Qrow’s back soothingly. He tipped his head down, burying his nose in Qrow’s raven hair to breathe him in. He used the smell of fresh rain, of sweet flowers, and fertile earth to calm himself. Used it to remind himself that as long as Qrow was here, he could keep him from leaving. “And despite what you seem to believe, I don’t think your magic will ever target them. Or me.”

Qrow pulled back, looking up at Tai with tearful eyes. This was the look he knew was real, the one of true, pure heartbreak he remembered from when Qrow had been exiled. Tai’s heart clenched at the sight of watery eyes and wet lashes, wishing he had the perfect answer to take away the pain. “You can’t know that for sure.”

“Actually. I think I kinda can.” Tai knew he was stumbling blind in the dark on this topic but if it kept Qrow with them, he’d live the rest of his long life without his sight. Anything to stop Qrow from hurting, to put his mind and soul at ease with them. “You said your magic is almost sentient in nature. If it is and it’s a part of you then it will never be a threat to us because _you_ will never be a threat to us.”

“That’s…” Qrow trailed off with a huff, unable to actually argue with the near child-like logic. Sighing, he shook his head and turned back to the crater, focusing his magic to repair the damage and doing his best to ignore Tai’s hand on his hip while he worked. As distracting as the hot touch was, he didn’t try to move away. He’d stayed with Tai, stayed for Tai, back in the beginning. The hands on him were grounding, a reminder of why he’d chosen the drakos over his sister, his twin. They anchored him when his head would carry him away on the wind and right now, with the evidence of how dangerous he was right in his face, he needed that solid touch more than anything.

~*~

Qrow twisted as he stood with his back facing the mirror, trying to see the mark on his back. He knew what it had looked like back when he’d been part of the tribe and he’d learned what it looked like after he’d been exiled, so he was aware of the changes taking place with the corvid adorning his back. Changes that he knew had never taken place on Raven’s mark and probably never on Summer’s either. The bird was starting to soar again, the fallen feathers still tattered but the wings growing more full by the day, streaks of gold and silver running through the lines. Sighing deeply, he leaned back against the counter, head dropping to his chest and one hand lifting to his shoulder as if he could reach behind him and trace the emerging lines.

By all rights, this should be good news but he knew the truth. Knew what it meant and how bad it could be for his heart. 

The gold and silver that showed his bonds to Ruby and Yang were perfectly fine and expected, welcomed even, but the deeper gold from Tai presented trouble. Eventually the magic of his mark was going to try to latch onto Tai in some capacity and, unfortunately, it wasn’t in the capacity of a brother as it should have been due to the previous relationship between Raven and Tai. Thanks to Qrow abandoning his tribal responsibilities to carry out his familial ones, the bond would be closer, more intimate. There wouldn’t be any pressure on Tai to be something he wasn’t but Qrow would be able to feel the bond between them aching with it’s incompleteness. He’d expected it to happen at some point but he’d hoped it would take longer to form. 

Redressing, Qrow determined to put the thoughts out of his mind. Dwelling would do him no good. Would not change what was to come. He would not look to the future of aching anymore today. No, he had other tasks to see to. Today he was going out hunting as he did every few days, though he knew Tai didn’t deem it necessary. It wasn’t really, but he was used to it from growing up in the tribe and Tai was willing to allow him to do so without any fuss. The drakos had even suggested teaching Yang and Ruby once they were old enough, saying that it was a useful survival skill and that they would be better off for knowing it just in case they ever needed to know. He was looking forward to it. Enjoyed passing on the little bits of his childhood to the girls where he could. But not today. Today was just for him and he would use the time out to clear his mind and find peace. He’d done it once when Tai had been with Summer. He would do it again now. 

~*~

Tai paced restlessly in his garden, trying to gather whatever calmness he had left in him before Qrow came back from his hunting trip. The whole time the elf had been here, he’d gone hunting for them because that was the way his people lived. Tai had never questioned it because he knew that the tribe Qrow had been born to were nomadic and used to hunting and gathering to survive. It made sense that the elf would want to continue doing so. It was his way of contributing to the household even if he didn’t need to. Tai could take care of everything they needed. But he knew the elf wouldn’t be able to stand sitting around the house doing nothing, so he encouraged him to not only go out but to start teaching their daughters when they were old enough. However, now he wondered how much of it was because of Qrow’s upbringing and how much was because he was trying to avoid the villagers. 

How long had they been treating Qrow so poorly? Why hadn’t the elf _said_ something? Tai would have spoken up for him. Would have defended him from his own people and their cruel judgement.

Qrow didn’t deserve their diresion. He’d done absolutely _nothing_ wrong. He’d even suffered for doing the right thing by staying to help look after Yang. He had sacrificed the ties that bound him to his whole tribe! To his family! And now, on top of that, the drakos village was harassing him. How had he missed it when his daughters hadn’t? Honestly he was grateful for it, but he still wondered. If it hadn’t been for Yang's innocent comment that the things he bought cost less than when her uncle bought them, he might have gone years without knowing. If he’d ever learned of the discrimination. Did Qrow not trust him to protect him from the other drakos? Did the elf think he would _agree_ with the villagers?

No. Qrow knew him better than that. It had to be something else that compelled the fey to keep silent. To endure the abuse without complaint. He just wished he could figure out what it was. But again the elf’s mind had wandered in a direction he couldn’t follow and he had no way to discern the reasons without asking Qrow. He probably should anyways. He didn’t want this kind of barrier between them. Qrow may never be the lover he longed to have him as but he refused to allow him to be less than the best friend and confidant he deserved to be. The villagers may not be able to see what he saw in the elf but he didn’t care. He just couldn’t understand how they could treat the delicate male so callously. 

It would make sense to him if it were Raven, though he still wouldn’t approve. Qrow had warned him fairly that she was likely to return to the tribe but he’d decided to try anyways. And even if he’d known for certain that she would leave him when he was younger, he’d still do it again because she had given him Yang. He’d be less understanding if they treated Summer that way. She hadn’t left by choice and the summons she received had been a call to war against a much stronger dark fey army that was advancing on the High Court’s home. Tai still couldn’t regret it because he loved Ruby. And Qrow… 

Qrow had been there through everything. Had been there to catch him when Raven’s disappearance left him stumbling. Had steadied him and guided him to Summer when he’d felt lost and unsure. Had stayed to bear the burden of raising two children who were not his own. Qrow had done so much for him and received so little in return. Tai felt like he’d done nothing but take from the elf since they’d met and he wanted desperately to give _something_ back. And now he learned that his village, his people and friends and _family_ , had been looking down on him the whole time. Treating him like he was less because of what had happened. It just… 

He stopped, rubbing both hands over his face and taking deep breaths.

Staring at the house he’d lived in, the one he’d built for himself with the hopes of filling it with a family some day, he came to a conclusion. 

They couldn’t stay in the village.

The people here would never accept Qrow. And he couldn’t risk that cruelty turning to their daughters. The home he knew would never be as safe for them as it had been for him growing up and it could never be a proper home to Qrow. Drawing in a deep, calming breath Tai went inside to start making arrangements. There was a village not too far away that was diverse and welcoming to all races. He doubted it would be hard to convince the girls to want to move there if it meant no one was mean to their uncle and once the girls were on board with the idea there was nothing Qrow would be able to do to argue with the idea. If he actually wanted to argue. Tai suspected that the elf wouldn’t actually try to dissuade them from moving, though he might put up a token resistance because he felt he had to. 

The fey may actually make a convincing argument if he truly felt they should stay but Tai didn’t see any way that Qrow would convince them that remaining would be better for them. Not when the girls hated the way he was treated. Not when Tai loathed it. The shorter male might be inclined to argue because arguing was part of who he was, but this wasn’t a fight he would win.

~*~

Qrow paused just inside the door, watching in confusion as Yang and Ruby scampered around to put the little trinkets around the house in boxes. Dodging around the dashing kids, the elf made his way into the kitchen with what he had, seeking Tai from answers. The blond looked up from what he’d been preparing to take the catch that Qrow had already cleaned for them so he could start cooking it with the rest of dinner. Qrow could see where several of the lesser used things in the kitchen were missing, probably already added to the boxes the kids were currently working on. Hopping up to an empty space on the counter (and ignoring the disapproving look he got for it, Tai should be used to it by now) Qrow tapped his fingers on the surface, wondering if he was going to have to ask or if Tai was going to tell him without prompting.

Tai waited until he had everything set before he turned to the silent elf sitting on his red quartz counter. (He’d built it long before he met the elves because he’d liked the color, he liked it even more now that he knew it matched Qrow’s eyes.) Moving over to wash his hands and be closer to Qrow, Tai drew in a deep breath, preparing for the denials that were going to come. When he spoke, he made sure he was looking directly into the beautiful eyes so he could see the emotions flash through them.

“I found out from Yang today that the villagers have been cruel to you.”

Qrow jerked, the eyes he loved widening. Tai saw several things fly through them, surprise, chagrin, pain, acceptance, resignation. Tai waited for the rejection, for the denial but they never showed. “No! Not cruel.” His gaze dropped to the floor and he folded his legs in front of him while he played with his rings. An old habit from when he was uncertain or insecure that he’d never shaken. “Not kind, certainly, but… not cruel either.”

“You don’t think the things they are saying count as cruel?” Tai shifted closer, one hand coming to rest on Qrow’s knee in comfort. Qrow’s slender shoulders shrugged, trivializing the issue as if it were nothing. 

“They aren’t saying them to me. They’re saying them to each other.” Tai suppressed a sigh, not surprised by the slight nuance of Qrow’s denial. Even if they weren’t saying them to Qrow, the elf’s keen ears would have certainly heard what was being spoken. He should have been better prepared for this but he had an easy reply this time and he was grateful for it.

“And the fact that Yang and Ruby hear it?”

Qrow bit his lip, staying silent because there was nothing to be said about that one and he knew it. He’d never brought up the things that were said because the villagers had only ever targeted him, but that didn’t mean they were careful around his nieces tender ears and the children had heard far more than he wished on them at such a young age. They didn’t need to know how harsh the world could be but he’d been unable to protect them from witnessing it being directed at him. He just didn’t know how to keep them safe from the villagers’ words. 

Tai nodded to himself, knowing he’d made the right decision. His hand squeezed gently, trying to get the elf’s attention back on him. “I asked our girls how they would feel about living somewhere new. A place where their uncle would be just as welcomed as we were.” Qrow’s eyes flicked up to him in surprise. Tai was caught by them for a moment, by the way the light shined in them, by the way their softness reminded Tai of the petals of a newly bloomed flower. Tai drew in a deep breath, releasing it to free himself from the thoughts of Qrow’s eyes. “It wasn’t much of a decision to make you know. They don’t like most of the kids here because of how they talk about you so… They’re excited to make new friends in a new home.” 

Qrow stared at Tai, realizing that the drakos had already shut down every path he could have used to fight. To argue against taking him and the girls from their home. The one he’d built _specifically_ for the purpose of raising a family. The fey sighed, acknowledging that he’d lost this battle long before he’d even known there was a battle to be fought, unfolding his legs and sliding off the counter to find the girls. “I’ll help them pack while you finish cooking.” The fey elf paused at the doorway, looking back over his shoulder with liquid crystal eyes. Whatever Tai claimed, he knew the reason the drakos had made his decision and there was something he needed to say that would never fit into words alone. Still, he gave the only ones he could. “ _Thank you_.” He whispered, turning to leave while Tai was still recovering from the look he’d been given. 

Tai turned back to finish dinner, shaking his head so he could focus on cooking. The last thing he needed was Qrow teasing him for burning the food. Everytime he thought the elf couldn’t do anything more to make him fall any further in love with him, he was proven wrong. Even without knowing it, Qrow had to prove he could do things he shouldn’t have been able to do and Tai could only smile at the thought as he finished up what was likely to be their last dinner in the house he’d built. Despite everything, he was looking forward to the move. To building a new life with his family where they would all be accepted. Even if it meant leaving everything and everyone else behind, it would be worth it.

~*~

Qrow balanced on the branch, the bark rough against the bare soles of his feet, while he carefully walked the length of it, looking for the perfect spot to hang the new rope swing for the kids to play on. They may have moved and the house may have been slightly different but this was one thing that he could do that would be familiar to the girls. And the more familiar they could make things, the easier the adjustment would be even if their kids had wanted the move. Once he’d attached the swing in what he’d decided was the perfect place, Qrow jumped down, tucking into a roll to absorb the impact and coming up on his feet to walk back inside to help Tai with unpacking. 

The bedrooms had already been set up and they were working on the kitchen while the girls napped. Once they had the basics of the rest of their home set up, they intended to go out and check out the market. The plan was to finish the unpacking the next day and then go exploring around their new home together. Although, as he noticed a group of children in the front yard surrounding the two _awake_ drakos children, he supposed that their plans may be slightly delayed. The nap they were supposed to be taking wasn’t happening anytime soon if the gathering was anything to judge by. 

He slowed his stride, listening to the excited introductions and happy chattering a bit as he went back inside to tell Tai that things may be set back. Perhaps the parents of the kids would stop by and the drakos would have the chance to share stories with other parents. It would be good for him to have some adult friends to share and socialize with. Qrow had noticed that Tai didn’t share much about his kids back at the old village, probably because he’d recognized on some subconscious level that the residents were not nearly as accepting as they pretended to be. Maybe, just maybe, this move was actually the best thing for them all.

~*~

Tai paused, turning to see where Qrow had gone as soon as he realized the elf was not at his side. Yang and Ruby looked up at him curiously before they also realized their uncle had been left behind and darting back to where he was standing. They were slowly making their way through the tour of their new home, though they kept getting delayed by friendly and well wishing residents wanting to get to know them. The original tour had been pushed back by a few days and the one day they had planned to spend exploring had become several days of exploring different districts. They’d finally made their way to the area of the village dedicated to groves and natural streams. One of the things in the district seemed to have caught Qrow’s attention.

Tai followed the gaze to a circle of trees, myrtle if he wasn’t wrong, each a different color with various flowers he’d have to get closer to identify growing in their circle. Qrow jumped when the girls latched onto his legs, jolting him out of whatever thoughts had been going through his pretty little head. The two each grabbed a hand pulling him along as they returned to Tai’s side, now holding onto Qrow so he wouldn’t get lost from them again. Tai doubted it would happen a second time but he still resolved to ask what the trees and flowers meant to the elf when they got home that night, after the girls had been put to bed.

~*~

“What were the trees about?” Tai asked curiously as Qrow joined him downstairs after singing their daughters to sleep. The drakos crossed his arms to stop the desire to grab the elf and pull him down into his lap as he walked by. It was not appropriate, not without Qrow’s consent and he didn’t dare to ask. Not when he still didn’t know where the elf’s heart resided. 

“The trees…? Oh!” A lovely flush colored the pale cheeks as Qrow curled up in his chair, crossing his arms shyly and turning his eyes to the ground. Crystal blue orbs watched nimble fingers twist about the rings that adorned them. “It’s a fey elf thing. Those trees symbolize love and marriage to us, the circle is a barrier of protection, the flowers are all symbolizing things like remembrance, love, marriage, sincerity, purity, loyalty and things like that. Basically… that’s where we have our weddings. My tribe didn’t have a proper ‘wedding grove’ like Summer’s did because we were nomadic, but we did have specific myrtle trees with the right flowers growing at the base that we would go to and use when someone wanted to have a wedding. Though… Marriage wasn’t common in my tribe…” 

Tai tipped his head at the wistful tone, wondering if there had been someone back in the tribe Qrow had abandoned that he’s been in love with. That he’d wanted to marry. It hurt to think about, his heart clenching like a claw was wrapped about it, but Tai forced a smile through the pain. It was ridiculous to think that the beautiful elf had never been in love, that no one had ever loved him before. It was selfish and unfair to want him all to himself. He wanted it anyways. He didn’t want to hear about the love Qrow had lost, didn’t want to shatter his own heart with the sordid details of forbidden trysts. But if his friend needed to talk about it he would listen, so he asked. “Cultural thing?”

“Nomadic thing, yea. We had more important things to worry about. Marriages were usually only used when tribal alliances were being secured.” Qrow twisted the single ring on one finger, gaze unfocused as he looked back on something Tai would never be able to see. Remembered places he’d likely never be able to visit again. It struck Tai again just how much he’d given up for them.

The drakos thought back to his own village and the weddings that took place there. The few banners and sparse ribbons that were put up, the scattering of flowers put around for the couple. “We usually gathered in the village square to hear their vows. It wasn’t any big thing but it was still important.” The vows were the part that mattered, the promises that bound the two individuals into one unit. He had so many promises he wished he could make to the elf in front of him but he couldn’t. Qrow wouldn’t understand the significance behind them, not unless Tai told him.

“Sounds a lot easier than ours but…”

“But?”

“Magic is involved in ours. Forges a marriage bond.” One moonlight hand waved vaguely, as if trying to make Tai understand what he couldn’t quite describe. “According to stories passed down, the marriage bond was created so that rivalling families or tibes couldn’t marry each other for the purpose of murdering their spouse.” 

“That’s… charming?” Tai tried not to make a face, though he was sure he failed. He’d known, of course, that the nomadic tribes of fey elves could be brutal but it hadn’t occurred to him that marriage for murder would have been a reality of their lives. He was so grateful to have Qrow here with him, away from that violence and danger. 

Qrow laughed, light and free, his smile causing Tai’s heart to trip over itself, crystal quartz eyes shining at him. “Yea. Charming. That’s one way to put it.” It was foolish to think that no one had ever heard that laugh and taken the fall. To think no one had ever gotten lost in that soft red. 

Tai didn’t know what prompted him to ask the question, what drove him to seek the answer he wasn’t sure he wanted. Now that he knew just how much marriage mattered to him, to his tribe. He asked anyways, unable to keep the words locked inside him. “Did you ever want to get married?”

Qrow’s face shifted, fell, melancholy taking over as he looked back down to his jewelry. Tai watched the way nimble fingers spun the shining metal, slowly twisting it as the elf thought on his answer. The silence dragged on, stretched until Tai wondered if it would ever end before Qrow’s voice, so quiet it was barely more than a whisper, filled the space between them. “Yea. Once.”

There was the pain. The arrow that pierced through the remains of his fragile heart. “What stopped you?”

“He didn’t want me.” The lovelorn elf’s words were mournful, steeped in heartbreak and dripping with despair. 

Tai’s eyes widened, first trying to grasp the idea that it had been a male, despite what Raven and Summer had told him, and then trying to wrap his mind around the idea that someone could have Qrow and _not want him_. He swallowed down the indignation on his friend’s behalf, the offense that someone could throw away such a precious gift as what had been offered. “How could anyone not want you?”

“Well…” Soft red eyes wouldn’t meet his, the slightest quaver making itself known in Qrow’s voice. “Turns out he favored my sister and our best friend instead.”

It took Tai far, far too long for his brain to make the connection. To understand the confession for what it was. To realize _he_ was the fool that had disregarded the heart that was given to him years ago without ever knowing it was in his hand. But perhaps, hopefully, the elf still being here with him meant that it wasn’t completely lost beyond his grasp.

Qrow froze when large hands covered his own, a faint tremble of nervousness threading through his body. He trusted Tai with his life, knew the drakos would never hurt him, but admitting what he had left him feeling far too vulnerable for comfort. He looked up to find Tai kneeling in front of him, ocean blue eyes filled with too many emotions for Qrow to decipher. Handsome face he’d fallen for pinched in pain. Qrow wanted to reach out and smooth out the lines of agony, to bring back the peace that Tai so often wore, but his hands were still captive in the gentle shackles of strong fingers. One hand released him and he longed for it back, though the way if lifted, the way it brushed though his hair was almost enough to make him forget the loss of it. 

“When we first met, long before I decided to pursue your twin, I asked Raven and Summer if I had a chance with you. They both told me that you had never shown an interest in males and that I was more likely to make you uncomfortable than anything else if I tried. I believed them because they knew you better than I did.” Warm fingers, drifted over the sharp point of his ear, trailed down the angle of his jaw. “I can’t say I regret the past, not when Ruby and Yang were born because of it, but if you’ll still have me, I’d like to build us a better future.”

Qrow’s lip trembled, hope overwhelming as he swayed towards the drakos, pulled in by the sincerity in his eyes and voice, by the love that was no longer being hidden behind the mask of being just friends. Tai’s hand slid back, around his neck to pull him down closer so he could seal their lips together in a kiss they’d both been waiting far too long for. 

~*~

Tai pulled back from the kiss as he felt the heat wash over his right arm. A quick glance showed him a small crow, so similar to the one on his husband’s back, now on his arm. Qrow was absolutely radiant in his happiness, his smile wider than anything Tai had ever witnessed before, eyes practically glowing as they were surrounded by the colorful, protective trees. At their feet their daughters pranced happily through the flowers, picking only the best ones they found to weave into crowns for the newly-wed couple. He could feel the bond that Qrow had mentioned before thrumming through him, though he couldn’t make any sense of it yet. The elf had promised that it would come with time, that he could teach him and he was looking forward to it and all the years they’d spend together with a full heart.


End file.
